This little tidbit of information sent to me by several foot soldiers over the weekend, got me thinking, “Glad I don’t have a business in Brookings”
BROOKINGS – The Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) has hired David Merhib as executive director to lead the local business organization.
Merhib, a Brookings resident and recent school board candidate, joins the Chamber team with a strong background in institution management and leadership of non-profits.
After earning a B.A. in art history from the University of Oregon and a master’s in educational administration from South Dakota State University, Merhib served for eight years as director of the Visual Arts Center at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls. Merhib was responsible for strategic planning, developing businesses relationships, fundraising and collaborating with city, state and regional organizations to further the mission of the Visual Arts Center.
Besides the fact that the Brookings Chamber probably made a bad choice (Maybe Pitty Patt will look into David’s past). One has to wonder, why did David ‘Leave’ the Pavilion? Or was he asked to leave?
Rumor has it that there was a major ‘incident’ last year involving the VAC that probably didn’t bode well with Merhib. I was told by an anonymous source several months ago about the incident, and I asked for documentation to back up the allegations, and have never received it. Hopefully this latest upheaval will get some document proof in the hands of Detroit Lewis.
Stay tuned.
The Pavilion will eventually become extinct along with most other city follies. Because the Sioux River is a toxic embarrassment, the city should be renamed Dinosaur Falls.
Just a thought but why not make the Pavilion a new city hall. There’s an under utilized parking ramp. The stage could become council chambers with the balcony for media cameras. Lots of surrounding rooms for departments. Present city hall could become the new water department so that the old water location could become parking for the Events Center. Carnegie could be a visitor center & place for the chamber of commerce.
First off, I really wonder where you are coming from. If you anything about the Pavilion at all, you would know about all of the educational programming that the Pavilion offers all of our underserved youth in the community. And by underserved I mean ALL of the middle schools in Sioux Falls are Title 1 now. The Pavilion also bring nationally recognized artist exhibitions for those of you interested in staying cultured and a Science Center that not only has wonderful exhibitions, but also takes it upon itself to help young girls in the community to realize their potential in STEM related career fields.
Now the topic of David. I can tell by your comment that you have no idea who David really is. To believe or even to insinuate that he was asked to leave because of an incident that never took place is absurd. I like how you mention an incident and then follow it up with, well I still have no evidence. Then why even mention it. David will do great things in Brookings and the people of Sioux Falls will greatly miss him. Because of him we got Rodin, Ansel Adams, Warhol, Toulouse-Lautrec, etc. I wonder with all your blogging what you have been able to bring to our community. If you want to knock someone down, there are plenty of people to do it to in this town. Don’t pick someone without being able to back it up. And if you want an honest opinion about someone, sit down and interview him instead of shooting from the hip and hoping something you say is truthful.
Rob, I already have evidence, I am just waiting for it to get confirmed, that being said, let’s talk about David’s reputation. Why don’t you call over to the SD State museum and ask them what they thought of him, better yet, why not call the former director of the SEAC or the current director of the SFAC, ask them what they think of David. Interview him? Would love to, but he might not like the questions I have for him. I have often thought that the Pavilion needs a full forensic audit to unveil really what is going on over there, I think the taxpayers who subsidize the facility deserve it. And BTW, I used to support the VAC for a long time, think it is a great asset to the community, but I am very concerned at who is at the driving wheel.
i suppose my next question to you would be, What do you think is going on over there? I am curious. As a former employee and one who still has many connections in the facility I wonder where you are coming from. If there is something fishy going on over there, do you bring these concerns up at City Council Meetings? Do you go to the TV stations and ask for something to be done. I am not calling you a liar, for I have no idea what you are talking about, I am just more interested in what you mean. I guess while I was there I never had any question as to where the money that came in was going. In fact since it is a non-profit organization you should be able to see the tax paperwork, audited from the past years. Once again I am not here to start something with you, jsut trying to get an idea on where the animosity is coming from.